Sikh body slams removal of Satluj, calls it attempt to suppress historical truth

Harjinder Singh Dhami, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), on Monday strongly condemned the removal of the film Satluj from ZEE5 in India shortly after its release. He called it an unjustified attempt to suppress historical truth. The SGPC president demanded that all restrictions on the film be lifted immediately and said no ban could erase the truth about the atrocities suffered by Sikhs.

The film, earlier titled Punjab '95, was taken down in India less than 48 hours after its long-delayed release on OTT. ZEE5 said the film would remain unavailable in India until further notice in light of "current developments", but did not give a reason for the move or say whether it was linked to the film's earlier certification issues.

Dhami said Satluj highlights the life and work of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, his fight for human rights, and the alleged excesses committed against Sikh youth during the



post-1984 period. He said Khalra dedicated his life to exposing cases of alleged illegal killings and secret cremations, and gave hope to thousands of families whose loved ones had disappeared.

He said Khalra was later killed for pursuing justice. Dhami added that the film presents historical facts and human rights issues that should be openly viewed and debated rather than censored. Referring to court judgments in cases involving former police officials, he said those rulings reinforced that history could not be denied.

The SGPC chief said democratic societies must protect freedom of expression and allow works based on historical events to reach the public. He described the removal of the film as an attempt to silence voices seeking to bring the truth to light. He said people had the right to understand this chapter of history and that Khalra's sacrifice would continue to inspire the pursuit of justice and human rights.